THIS SPORT is all about outwitting the
force of gravity. Our weapons in this battle
are the tools and equipment we use to build
models that can leave the ground and soar
skyward.
As an indoor flier, I have to tote a lot of
gear to the flying site to help my delicate,
lightweight aircraft defeat gravity. In revenge,
gravity snuck up on me last week and showed
who was in charge. I got tangled up with a
couple of my bulky toolboxes and fell down
some concrete steps.
With one big box in each hand, while
maneuvering around my wife Sweet Diedra as
she held the screen door, I suddenly found
myself facedown on what became
bloodstained cement. She reacted with typical
wifely concern, saying something that
sounded like “Hah! Take that!” but was
actually “Wow! Are you okay?”
Gravity can be sneaky, and I got caught
trying to carry too much stuff to the van in
one trip. My rush to leave on time resulted in
a painful delay, with plenty of bandages and
bloody paper towels.
Kids fall down a lot, but they are closer to
the ground and weigh less than a full-size
columnist. My terminal velocity is high
enough to provide a spectacular impact that
featured scrapes and bruises on all four limbs.
I was lucky. Grownups often break bones
in falls—especially wrists and hips. When
one’s feet are not under the body’s CG, things
can get ugly.
I use a four-wheeled cart to move my
flying gear from the car to the gym or field, but the stuff has to be carried box by box in and out
of the house. It has been suggested that I lug too much gear around, and that the boxes should at
least be matched and capable of being carried by one hand each.
Dave Gee | Safety Comes First [email protected]
Gravity: 1; Dave: 0!
Also included in this column:
• How to handle an accidentprone
pilot
• Warning sticker on a model?
• The long and short of antenna
extension
• Easy club fund-raising idea
Who is that guy sitting in an AT-6, making engine noises? Selling souvenir photos is a
smart fund-raising idea; the Commemorative Air Force does this at its fly-ins.
Kamren James launches his well-trimmed
Indoor Rubber model. Video games and
computer chat cannot compete with live
model airplane fun.
If FF Scale is an art form, Don Butman is a virtuoso. His Bellanca CF has the right balance
of scale detail and weight savings.
December 2010 107
12sig4x_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/22/10 8:46 AM Page 107
Until recently I responded with a witty
“Bah!” Now the point is hard to miss. Indoor
and FF Scale aircraft need protection during
travel, so bulky boxes are the norm.
By the way, the tools and models survived
the fall much better than I did. There was no
damage at all. Thanks for asking.
Dave Laycock e-mailed me concerning a
new thought he had about an old idea. His
flying site has residential areas nearby and he
is concerned about the possibility of a
flyaway airplane coming down in someone’s
backyard with the power system still
energized. A nonmodeler might not know
how to safely handle and turn off an electricpowered
aircraft.
Although Dave takes every precaution,
including setting his fail-safe mode, he
wondered if it would be worthwhile to have a
warning sticker on the airplane in addition to
the usual contact information and owner’s
name.
He suggested “Caution! Motor may start
suddenly. Unplug the battery connector.” Or
“Move the switch to the (down, up) position”
or “Caution! Do not handle! Please call (your
cell phone number).” He also thought that the
AMA might be interested in distributing such
decals.
We discussed it and Dave has a good
point. I’d hate for someone to be harmed by
my flyaway model. On the other hand, the
odds of this situation occurring are low and
there are other factors.
I have learned at many booth and display
events that nonfliers are so dazzled by the
sight of a “cool model” that they will grab the
propeller or pick up an airplane by the rudder.
For this reason I suspect that a warning
probably would not even be seen. Few people
would have the good sense to find and read a
warning label before handling such an
enticing object.
Can you imagine how tough it would be to
design decals to fit and cover every type of
model?
Dave’s warning is a good thing to add to
your airplane and I will do so from now on,
but trying to organize official “approved”
power-system warning decals would be too
big of a job for the value. Additionally,
someone at AMA Headquarters might end up
mad at Dave and me for pushing the idea.
On the subject of people in Muncie, Indiana,
who might get mad at me, MA Editor Michael
Ramsey forwarded a great e-mail. He ought to
know what can happen with controversial
stuff here, and either he lets me get away with
plenty or doesn’t read my column. (Editor’s
note: I do too! But I’m not telling you where.)
I’ll keep this story anonymous to protect
the innocent.
The scene was a popular RC flying field
with airplanes moving on the ground and in
the air. A pilot was preparing for takeoff. The
model was a midsize gas trainer.
This airplane throttled up and lurched
forward, then suddenly veered off the runway.
It narrowly missed another flier and headed
for the crowded pit area at top speed. The
pilot apparently froze with the sticks at full
throttle.
Warning shouts went up, but nobody
could stop the errant model as it ran across the
ground. Luckily it hit another airplane instead
of a person. At least the aircraft’s owner
offered to pay for repairs.
The real problem is that this incident was
only the most recent for this particular pilot.
He has a history of crashes and close calls,
and witnesses say that it was not a
coincidence.
Pilot error or inattention is usually
involved in such incidents. Other fliers at the
field are worried that there will eventually be
an injury. Since he sometimes flies much
larger models, someone could be seriously
harmed.
The person who wrote in asked if some
report could or should be made to AMA about
the pilot, and if insurance coverage should be
extended to such a person.
Have you or your club dealt with someone
who cannot see that his or her own lack of
skill is a danger to others? In previous
columns I have discussed pilots who
deliberately cause dangerous situations, but
how about someone who does it inadvertently
and repeatedly? (I realize that I’m in this
category, so I try to stay within my limitations
and crash my aircraft well clear of everyone.)
If the field belongs to a club or is
otherwise privately controlled, there may
be some options for diplomatically
approaching the problem pilot. It would be
nice to avoid hurt feelings, but not at the
expense of hurt bodies.
What about at a public field where
everyone has a right to fly? What can be done
about a well-intentioned but dangerous flier?
I’d appreciate your thoughts and opinions
on this subject and I’ll share the best ideas.
My e-mail address is in the header and my
postal address is in the “Sources” listing at the
end of this column.
Please let me know about any close calls
or other modeling adventures while you’re at
it. People love to hear good stories and it
might save someone from getting hurt.
Charles E. Castaing had an educational close
call while he was instructing. He was using
his transmitter with a buddy-box setup and
had changed modules to suit the student’s
airplane.
He wrote:
“I generally use my transmitter on 2.4
GHz, and only occasionally on 72MHz. As a
result, I got in the habit of not extending the
antenna. The student’s plane was on channel
55 and I installed the proper module in the
transmitter to match his receiver for the
training lesson.
“After the training session with the
student, in which I saved the plane from
crashing several times, I was shocked to see I
had not extended the antenna on the
transmitter! Only luck saved the plane from
going out of range! It seems flying 2.4 GHz
without having to extend the antenna had
made me complacent and careless.”
Charles learned a lesson of his own during
that training session! We all fall into routines,
and most of the time this is a good thing that
helps us remember all the important little
steps. It can be a problem when small errors
fall into our regular practices, as Charles
found with his radio band-change routine.
I still have occasional moments of panic
when I see out of the corner of my eye that
my transmitter aerial is not extended, and then
I realize that I am flying a 2.4 GHz radio.
(Editor’s note: A buddy-box antenna
needs to be neither extended nor installed.)
My readers have gotten used to the three
photographs in my column being related to
subjects I discuss. Sorry to say, this month it
ain’t so. I picked some fun pictures and stuck
them in.
The shot of me sitting in a restored AT-6
was taken at a local air show. The
Commemorative Air Force was selling these
photos as a fund-raiser, which is clever.
I wonder if our clubs could do something
similar at a public event, such as selling
souvenir photos of visitors holding a nice
model or in a carefully arranged pose to look
as though they are flying an RC helicopter.
It was easy to get me into the aircraft, but
they had to lure me out with a chili dog and
then wipe the inside of the windshield
because I had been making engine noises.
Longtime readers know what a big
proponent I am of bringing kids into the
hobby. I snapped a picture of Kamren
James launching his souped-up Sky Streak
at an indoor session. He demonstrated
considerable skill with an RC helicopter,
and when I set him up with a fixed-wing
model he showed his versatility as a pilot.
Video games and Internet chat can’t
hold a candle to real live aeromodeling.
We need to expose kids to the thrill of
flight, and our hobby will remain strong.
I got a thrill of my own when I saw Don
Butman’s marvelous Bellanca CF. It is an
FF Scale model with just enough artistic
detail to portray the subject and a
lightweight structure for fine flying. Don
is a true craftsman. MA
Sources:
AMA Safety Code:
www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf
Commemorative Air Force
(877) 767-7175
www.commemorativeairforce.org
Dave Gee
Box 7081
Van Nuys CA 91409
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/12
Page Numbers: 107,108,110
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/12
Page Numbers: 107,108,110
THIS SPORT is all about outwitting the
force of gravity. Our weapons in this battle
are the tools and equipment we use to build
models that can leave the ground and soar
skyward.
As an indoor flier, I have to tote a lot of
gear to the flying site to help my delicate,
lightweight aircraft defeat gravity. In revenge,
gravity snuck up on me last week and showed
who was in charge. I got tangled up with a
couple of my bulky toolboxes and fell down
some concrete steps.
With one big box in each hand, while
maneuvering around my wife Sweet Diedra as
she held the screen door, I suddenly found
myself facedown on what became
bloodstained cement. She reacted with typical
wifely concern, saying something that
sounded like “Hah! Take that!” but was
actually “Wow! Are you okay?”
Gravity can be sneaky, and I got caught
trying to carry too much stuff to the van in
one trip. My rush to leave on time resulted in
a painful delay, with plenty of bandages and
bloody paper towels.
Kids fall down a lot, but they are closer to
the ground and weigh less than a full-size
columnist. My terminal velocity is high
enough to provide a spectacular impact that
featured scrapes and bruises on all four limbs.
I was lucky. Grownups often break bones
in falls—especially wrists and hips. When
one’s feet are not under the body’s CG, things
can get ugly.
I use a four-wheeled cart to move my
flying gear from the car to the gym or field, but the stuff has to be carried box by box in and out
of the house. It has been suggested that I lug too much gear around, and that the boxes should at
least be matched and capable of being carried by one hand each.
Dave Gee | Safety Comes First [email protected]
Gravity: 1; Dave: 0!
Also included in this column:
• How to handle an accidentprone
pilot
• Warning sticker on a model?
• The long and short of antenna
extension
• Easy club fund-raising idea
Who is that guy sitting in an AT-6, making engine noises? Selling souvenir photos is a
smart fund-raising idea; the Commemorative Air Force does this at its fly-ins.
Kamren James launches his well-trimmed
Indoor Rubber model. Video games and
computer chat cannot compete with live
model airplane fun.
If FF Scale is an art form, Don Butman is a virtuoso. His Bellanca CF has the right balance
of scale detail and weight savings.
December 2010 107
12sig4x_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/22/10 8:46 AM Page 107
Until recently I responded with a witty
“Bah!” Now the point is hard to miss. Indoor
and FF Scale aircraft need protection during
travel, so bulky boxes are the norm.
By the way, the tools and models survived
the fall much better than I did. There was no
damage at all. Thanks for asking.
Dave Laycock e-mailed me concerning a
new thought he had about an old idea. His
flying site has residential areas nearby and he
is concerned about the possibility of a
flyaway airplane coming down in someone’s
backyard with the power system still
energized. A nonmodeler might not know
how to safely handle and turn off an electricpowered
aircraft.
Although Dave takes every precaution,
including setting his fail-safe mode, he
wondered if it would be worthwhile to have a
warning sticker on the airplane in addition to
the usual contact information and owner’s
name.
He suggested “Caution! Motor may start
suddenly. Unplug the battery connector.” Or
“Move the switch to the (down, up) position”
or “Caution! Do not handle! Please call (your
cell phone number).” He also thought that the
AMA might be interested in distributing such
decals.
We discussed it and Dave has a good
point. I’d hate for someone to be harmed by
my flyaway model. On the other hand, the
odds of this situation occurring are low and
there are other factors.
I have learned at many booth and display
events that nonfliers are so dazzled by the
sight of a “cool model” that they will grab the
propeller or pick up an airplane by the rudder.
For this reason I suspect that a warning
probably would not even be seen. Few people
would have the good sense to find and read a
warning label before handling such an
enticing object.
Can you imagine how tough it would be to
design decals to fit and cover every type of
model?
Dave’s warning is a good thing to add to
your airplane and I will do so from now on,
but trying to organize official “approved”
power-system warning decals would be too
big of a job for the value. Additionally,
someone at AMA Headquarters might end up
mad at Dave and me for pushing the idea.
On the subject of people in Muncie, Indiana,
who might get mad at me, MA Editor Michael
Ramsey forwarded a great e-mail. He ought to
know what can happen with controversial
stuff here, and either he lets me get away with
plenty or doesn’t read my column. (Editor’s
note: I do too! But I’m not telling you where.)
I’ll keep this story anonymous to protect
the innocent.
The scene was a popular RC flying field
with airplanes moving on the ground and in
the air. A pilot was preparing for takeoff. The
model was a midsize gas trainer.
This airplane throttled up and lurched
forward, then suddenly veered off the runway.
It narrowly missed another flier and headed
for the crowded pit area at top speed. The
pilot apparently froze with the sticks at full
throttle.
Warning shouts went up, but nobody
could stop the errant model as it ran across the
ground. Luckily it hit another airplane instead
of a person. At least the aircraft’s owner
offered to pay for repairs.
The real problem is that this incident was
only the most recent for this particular pilot.
He has a history of crashes and close calls,
and witnesses say that it was not a
coincidence.
Pilot error or inattention is usually
involved in such incidents. Other fliers at the
field are worried that there will eventually be
an injury. Since he sometimes flies much
larger models, someone could be seriously
harmed.
The person who wrote in asked if some
report could or should be made to AMA about
the pilot, and if insurance coverage should be
extended to such a person.
Have you or your club dealt with someone
who cannot see that his or her own lack of
skill is a danger to others? In previous
columns I have discussed pilots who
deliberately cause dangerous situations, but
how about someone who does it inadvertently
and repeatedly? (I realize that I’m in this
category, so I try to stay within my limitations
and crash my aircraft well clear of everyone.)
If the field belongs to a club or is
otherwise privately controlled, there may
be some options for diplomatically
approaching the problem pilot. It would be
nice to avoid hurt feelings, but not at the
expense of hurt bodies.
What about at a public field where
everyone has a right to fly? What can be done
about a well-intentioned but dangerous flier?
I’d appreciate your thoughts and opinions
on this subject and I’ll share the best ideas.
My e-mail address is in the header and my
postal address is in the “Sources” listing at the
end of this column.
Please let me know about any close calls
or other modeling adventures while you’re at
it. People love to hear good stories and it
might save someone from getting hurt.
Charles E. Castaing had an educational close
call while he was instructing. He was using
his transmitter with a buddy-box setup and
had changed modules to suit the student’s
airplane.
He wrote:
“I generally use my transmitter on 2.4
GHz, and only occasionally on 72MHz. As a
result, I got in the habit of not extending the
antenna. The student’s plane was on channel
55 and I installed the proper module in the
transmitter to match his receiver for the
training lesson.
“After the training session with the
student, in which I saved the plane from
crashing several times, I was shocked to see I
had not extended the antenna on the
transmitter! Only luck saved the plane from
going out of range! It seems flying 2.4 GHz
without having to extend the antenna had
made me complacent and careless.”
Charles learned a lesson of his own during
that training session! We all fall into routines,
and most of the time this is a good thing that
helps us remember all the important little
steps. It can be a problem when small errors
fall into our regular practices, as Charles
found with his radio band-change routine.
I still have occasional moments of panic
when I see out of the corner of my eye that
my transmitter aerial is not extended, and then
I realize that I am flying a 2.4 GHz radio.
(Editor’s note: A buddy-box antenna
needs to be neither extended nor installed.)
My readers have gotten used to the three
photographs in my column being related to
subjects I discuss. Sorry to say, this month it
ain’t so. I picked some fun pictures and stuck
them in.
The shot of me sitting in a restored AT-6
was taken at a local air show. The
Commemorative Air Force was selling these
photos as a fund-raiser, which is clever.
I wonder if our clubs could do something
similar at a public event, such as selling
souvenir photos of visitors holding a nice
model or in a carefully arranged pose to look
as though they are flying an RC helicopter.
It was easy to get me into the aircraft, but
they had to lure me out with a chili dog and
then wipe the inside of the windshield
because I had been making engine noises.
Longtime readers know what a big
proponent I am of bringing kids into the
hobby. I snapped a picture of Kamren
James launching his souped-up Sky Streak
at an indoor session. He demonstrated
considerable skill with an RC helicopter,
and when I set him up with a fixed-wing
model he showed his versatility as a pilot.
Video games and Internet chat can’t
hold a candle to real live aeromodeling.
We need to expose kids to the thrill of
flight, and our hobby will remain strong.
I got a thrill of my own when I saw Don
Butman’s marvelous Bellanca CF. It is an
FF Scale model with just enough artistic
detail to portray the subject and a
lightweight structure for fine flying. Don
is a true craftsman. MA
Sources:
AMA Safety Code:
www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf
Commemorative Air Force
(877) 767-7175
www.commemorativeairforce.org
Dave Gee
Box 7081
Van Nuys CA 91409
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/12
Page Numbers: 107,108,110
THIS SPORT is all about outwitting the
force of gravity. Our weapons in this battle
are the tools and equipment we use to build
models that can leave the ground and soar
skyward.
As an indoor flier, I have to tote a lot of
gear to the flying site to help my delicate,
lightweight aircraft defeat gravity. In revenge,
gravity snuck up on me last week and showed
who was in charge. I got tangled up with a
couple of my bulky toolboxes and fell down
some concrete steps.
With one big box in each hand, while
maneuvering around my wife Sweet Diedra as
she held the screen door, I suddenly found
myself facedown on what became
bloodstained cement. She reacted with typical
wifely concern, saying something that
sounded like “Hah! Take that!” but was
actually “Wow! Are you okay?”
Gravity can be sneaky, and I got caught
trying to carry too much stuff to the van in
one trip. My rush to leave on time resulted in
a painful delay, with plenty of bandages and
bloody paper towels.
Kids fall down a lot, but they are closer to
the ground and weigh less than a full-size
columnist. My terminal velocity is high
enough to provide a spectacular impact that
featured scrapes and bruises on all four limbs.
I was lucky. Grownups often break bones
in falls—especially wrists and hips. When
one’s feet are not under the body’s CG, things
can get ugly.
I use a four-wheeled cart to move my
flying gear from the car to the gym or field, but the stuff has to be carried box by box in and out
of the house. It has been suggested that I lug too much gear around, and that the boxes should at
least be matched and capable of being carried by one hand each.
Dave Gee | Safety Comes First [email protected]
Gravity: 1; Dave: 0!
Also included in this column:
• How to handle an accidentprone
pilot
• Warning sticker on a model?
• The long and short of antenna
extension
• Easy club fund-raising idea
Who is that guy sitting in an AT-6, making engine noises? Selling souvenir photos is a
smart fund-raising idea; the Commemorative Air Force does this at its fly-ins.
Kamren James launches his well-trimmed
Indoor Rubber model. Video games and
computer chat cannot compete with live
model airplane fun.
If FF Scale is an art form, Don Butman is a virtuoso. His Bellanca CF has the right balance
of scale detail and weight savings.
December 2010 107
12sig4x_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/22/10 8:46 AM Page 107
Until recently I responded with a witty
“Bah!” Now the point is hard to miss. Indoor
and FF Scale aircraft need protection during
travel, so bulky boxes are the norm.
By the way, the tools and models survived
the fall much better than I did. There was no
damage at all. Thanks for asking.
Dave Laycock e-mailed me concerning a
new thought he had about an old idea. His
flying site has residential areas nearby and he
is concerned about the possibility of a
flyaway airplane coming down in someone’s
backyard with the power system still
energized. A nonmodeler might not know
how to safely handle and turn off an electricpowered
aircraft.
Although Dave takes every precaution,
including setting his fail-safe mode, he
wondered if it would be worthwhile to have a
warning sticker on the airplane in addition to
the usual contact information and owner’s
name.
He suggested “Caution! Motor may start
suddenly. Unplug the battery connector.” Or
“Move the switch to the (down, up) position”
or “Caution! Do not handle! Please call (your
cell phone number).” He also thought that the
AMA might be interested in distributing such
decals.
We discussed it and Dave has a good
point. I’d hate for someone to be harmed by
my flyaway model. On the other hand, the
odds of this situation occurring are low and
there are other factors.
I have learned at many booth and display
events that nonfliers are so dazzled by the
sight of a “cool model” that they will grab the
propeller or pick up an airplane by the rudder.
For this reason I suspect that a warning
probably would not even be seen. Few people
would have the good sense to find and read a
warning label before handling such an
enticing object.
Can you imagine how tough it would be to
design decals to fit and cover every type of
model?
Dave’s warning is a good thing to add to
your airplane and I will do so from now on,
but trying to organize official “approved”
power-system warning decals would be too
big of a job for the value. Additionally,
someone at AMA Headquarters might end up
mad at Dave and me for pushing the idea.
On the subject of people in Muncie, Indiana,
who might get mad at me, MA Editor Michael
Ramsey forwarded a great e-mail. He ought to
know what can happen with controversial
stuff here, and either he lets me get away with
plenty or doesn’t read my column. (Editor’s
note: I do too! But I’m not telling you where.)
I’ll keep this story anonymous to protect
the innocent.
The scene was a popular RC flying field
with airplanes moving on the ground and in
the air. A pilot was preparing for takeoff. The
model was a midsize gas trainer.
This airplane throttled up and lurched
forward, then suddenly veered off the runway.
It narrowly missed another flier and headed
for the crowded pit area at top speed. The
pilot apparently froze with the sticks at full
throttle.
Warning shouts went up, but nobody
could stop the errant model as it ran across the
ground. Luckily it hit another airplane instead
of a person. At least the aircraft’s owner
offered to pay for repairs.
The real problem is that this incident was
only the most recent for this particular pilot.
He has a history of crashes and close calls,
and witnesses say that it was not a
coincidence.
Pilot error or inattention is usually
involved in such incidents. Other fliers at the
field are worried that there will eventually be
an injury. Since he sometimes flies much
larger models, someone could be seriously
harmed.
The person who wrote in asked if some
report could or should be made to AMA about
the pilot, and if insurance coverage should be
extended to such a person.
Have you or your club dealt with someone
who cannot see that his or her own lack of
skill is a danger to others? In previous
columns I have discussed pilots who
deliberately cause dangerous situations, but
how about someone who does it inadvertently
and repeatedly? (I realize that I’m in this
category, so I try to stay within my limitations
and crash my aircraft well clear of everyone.)
If the field belongs to a club or is
otherwise privately controlled, there may
be some options for diplomatically
approaching the problem pilot. It would be
nice to avoid hurt feelings, but not at the
expense of hurt bodies.
What about at a public field where
everyone has a right to fly? What can be done
about a well-intentioned but dangerous flier?
I’d appreciate your thoughts and opinions
on this subject and I’ll share the best ideas.
My e-mail address is in the header and my
postal address is in the “Sources” listing at the
end of this column.
Please let me know about any close calls
or other modeling adventures while you’re at
it. People love to hear good stories and it
might save someone from getting hurt.
Charles E. Castaing had an educational close
call while he was instructing. He was using
his transmitter with a buddy-box setup and
had changed modules to suit the student’s
airplane.
He wrote:
“I generally use my transmitter on 2.4
GHz, and only occasionally on 72MHz. As a
result, I got in the habit of not extending the
antenna. The student’s plane was on channel
55 and I installed the proper module in the
transmitter to match his receiver for the
training lesson.
“After the training session with the
student, in which I saved the plane from
crashing several times, I was shocked to see I
had not extended the antenna on the
transmitter! Only luck saved the plane from
going out of range! It seems flying 2.4 GHz
without having to extend the antenna had
made me complacent and careless.”
Charles learned a lesson of his own during
that training session! We all fall into routines,
and most of the time this is a good thing that
helps us remember all the important little
steps. It can be a problem when small errors
fall into our regular practices, as Charles
found with his radio band-change routine.
I still have occasional moments of panic
when I see out of the corner of my eye that
my transmitter aerial is not extended, and then
I realize that I am flying a 2.4 GHz radio.
(Editor’s note: A buddy-box antenna
needs to be neither extended nor installed.)
My readers have gotten used to the three
photographs in my column being related to
subjects I discuss. Sorry to say, this month it
ain’t so. I picked some fun pictures and stuck
them in.
The shot of me sitting in a restored AT-6
was taken at a local air show. The
Commemorative Air Force was selling these
photos as a fund-raiser, which is clever.
I wonder if our clubs could do something
similar at a public event, such as selling
souvenir photos of visitors holding a nice
model or in a carefully arranged pose to look
as though they are flying an RC helicopter.
It was easy to get me into the aircraft, but
they had to lure me out with a chili dog and
then wipe the inside of the windshield
because I had been making engine noises.
Longtime readers know what a big
proponent I am of bringing kids into the
hobby. I snapped a picture of Kamren
James launching his souped-up Sky Streak
at an indoor session. He demonstrated
considerable skill with an RC helicopter,
and when I set him up with a fixed-wing
model he showed his versatility as a pilot.
Video games and Internet chat can’t
hold a candle to real live aeromodeling.
We need to expose kids to the thrill of
flight, and our hobby will remain strong.
I got a thrill of my own when I saw Don
Butman’s marvelous Bellanca CF. It is an
FF Scale model with just enough artistic
detail to portray the subject and a
lightweight structure for fine flying. Don
is a true craftsman. MA
Sources:
AMA Safety Code:
www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf
Commemorative Air Force
(877) 767-7175
www.commemorativeairforce.org
Dave Gee
Box 7081
Van Nuys CA 91409
